(Our light fixtures are either polished/brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze, so I think I'd avoid the brass options. Although maybe antique brass would coordinate okay?)
1) Rejuvenation, Edwards: Eastlake Door Set ($129), very classic Eastlake, with the Japanese influence; brushed nickel, lacquered brass, or polished nickel:
2) Emtek's Lancaster Door Set ($105), more of a medieval flavor, which I like a bit more than the Japanese, I think; polished brass, antique brass, satin nickel, oil-rubbed bronze (I don't think this one comes with a backplate):
Alternatively, we could abandon the idea of having them match, and go to antique stores and try to find sufficient Eastlake-style doorknobs in a variety of styles. Which is maybe okay too, but takes a little more time, and it's a bit more chaotic a feel. Also, it'd be hard to have the finishes coordinate much, and most of what's available will probably be brass or antique brass, which I don't like as well. And I worry a little that old mechanisms won't work well anymore. But considering that they often cost the same or less than a reproduction, and you get that unique antique charm...I'm torn.
3) For example, here's an antique potted-flower Eastlake doorknob which I find kind of adorable, $85:
4) Or some like this aren't available as door sets, but just single knobs -- which would work fine for the shallow pantry doors, which never need to be opened from the inside, I think? There seem to be a lot of them for around $40-50 per knob.
5) And I admit, given that our house's name means 'Dwelling Place of Lions,' there's also a temptation to go with lion doorknobs. Like this beauty (which sadly, is only available in the polished brass); about $35 / knob)
Admittedly, I haven't discussed that idea with Kevin yet, and he may just shoot it down. Hmm...if we were doing the brass lion, I might want to actually put those on the second floor, which is going to have warmer tones throughout, and possibly a more overtly medieval / whimsical flavor. (Roshani gave me a lion/unicorn tapestry for Christmas which I'm going to hang up there in the library, for example.) But if so, that's probably going to have wait quite a while, because our current budget only allows for very basic doorknobs on the second and third floors.
For lions, we could also go with a classic lion door knocker instead.
Thoughts?
I would definitely get the lion door knocker instead of the knobs. As for the other knobs…I want them all! I like the idea of getting various mismatched knobs though, and worrying less about coordinating.